Abe likely to make trip to war shrine at year end
Print Edition
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is likely to visit the controversial Yasukuni Shrine for war dead by the end of the year, Japanese media reported yesterday, citing an aide in Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Such a visit would almost certainly anger Asian victims of Japan’s past aggression. Relations with China and South Korea are also strained over territorial disputes.
The media reports came two days after a Japanese minister and more than 150 lawmakers visited the shrine, prompting China to accuse Japan of undermining ties. Yesterday, Cabinet member Keiji Furuya also visited the shrine, the last day of the shrine’s autumn festival, Kyodo news agency reported.
Last Thursday, Abe made his third ritual offering to the shrine since returning to office last December but he has so far not visited in person to avoid further upsetting China and South Korea.
The war shrine honors about 2.5 million Japanese war dead, including 14 Class-A war criminals during the World War II, making it a painful reminder to nations that suffered from Japanese aggression in the 20th century.
Abe has said he regretted not visiting the shrine in person when he first served as prime minister in 2006-07.
Kyodo quoted Koichi Hagiuda, a lawmaker and aide to Abe, as saying Abe’s position on the shrine had not changed.
Hagiuda told reporters he thinks Abe would visit the shrine within the first year of his current government — in other words, by December.
“Some people say he should visit the shrine sometime while he is prime minister, but a visit to the shrine should be made at least once a year,” Kyodo quoted Hagiuda as saying.
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